Dog peeing indoors

[Rootatoot]

My terrier has had the occasional slip up and peed indoors in the night time. Lately though this has become a regular occurance and not sure how to stop it. I've disinfected, got anti-pet pee sprays and restricted his water before he goes to bed. Also make sure he pees before we put him to bed, but still he does it in same patch. Is this attention seeking behaviour or something? Or should i be concerned that he isn't well and take him to vet?

[PipCarrier]

How old is he? You should get him checked by a vet in the first instance to make sure there's no medical reason for it. Otherwise, has his routine or anything in your household changed recently? Often stress and anxiety can trigger this behaviour. It's not attention seeking though - no dog ever wants to pee indoors, especially overnight where they have to sleep near it :(

[Rootatoot]

He is 6. I am pregnant at the moment, so perhaps he hasn't had QUITE as much attention as usual, but to be honest, I work from home and he does get plenty! The spot where he does it is miles away from his bed as there is no door to the kitchen area where he sleeps, and it leads into big(ish) dining room which is where he pees. It's not every night, but I'd say 2 - 3 times a week. He seems perfectly healthy and his usual self in every other way.

[MotherJack]

Wash the area thoroughly with BIOLOGICAL washing powder. It's one of the few things that actually remove the smell to the dog itself - we can't smell any residue but they can. If you can do this, you will remove the possibility that him smelling his wee is triggering him to go in the same spot over and over again.

I agree that you should get him checked out by a vet though to rule anything else out.

I wouldn't feel happy restricting my dogs water, personally, by the way.

[Rootatoot]

Thanks MotherJack. I didn't know that one about bio wash powder. Will give that a try. I'm pretty sure that its a habit in some ways. The area he does it is on laminate and it's not the best laid floor in the world, so I'm sure no matter how well I clean it, it still smells to him as it seeps into bits it shouldn't (TMI!)

I am keeping an eye on him and how much he drinks/pees during the day & will mention it to vet when I go, but my feeling is he is fine and it's more of a habit or point he's making. I hope he isn't stressed or upset by anything but it is poss that I haven't spent as much time with him in the evenings as I have done previously, due to being PG and tired.

By restricting his water, I mean that I don't fill his bowl right up at night. He ALWAYS has clean water available but his bowl is pretty deep, so I just don't want to let him drain it before bed.

[PipCarrier]

Honestly rootatoot your dog will not be doing it to "make a point" or out of habit - there will be a underlying cause whether physiological or psychological - I speak from experience on this. It is very distressing for a house trained dog to have to pee in their house.

[MotherJack]

Pip - I am in no way an expert and agree with you when you say it is in no way to do with anything to do with having any point whatsoever to make, but I do think that dogs develop habits... and I believe that these can be stimulated by scent. Fully prepared, as ever, to be proved wrong, but I really do think that dogs can be habitual.

[Rootatoot]

Thanks Pip and MotherJack for comments. He hasn't actually done it for several days which is good. He hasn't been drinking more than usual during the day at all either which is good to note. The thoughts about him being stressed have got me to thinking though. We don't really have a lot of routine at the moment, as both DH and I are freelance, so sometimes DH walks him and sometimes it's me. Plus with my pregnancy, I've been going to bed v early and so I'm wondering if he has been missing his time with me, and this could be a bit of separation anxiety. I have a feeling he does it when DH puts him to bed rather than me but I'll keep track of this.

Going to have a cleaning blitz today. Got some bio wash powder now so will clean floor with that. Thanks for tip.

Bless him...he seems happy this morning though. No pee on floor and happily chewing his hide chewie up here with me.

[PipCarrier]

Sometimes you do really have to think about what's changed for them - my dogs are really sensitive and are really affected by anything different (but on the other hand really easy going and can skip walks etc without a problem)....funny you should say about your partner putting them to bed because that's exactly what used to happen to mine! The wee thing would always happen when hubby put them to bed; I think it worried them not seeing me last thing at night! Silly woofers!

[MotherJack]

I just thought of you Rootatoot.... read this thread and Minimu and Midori's posts reminded me of your disinfecting and not cleaning with bio....

here. May be different in older dogs, but you might find this interesting

BTW Root - was it you looking for a solution with child to be/pushchair and dog in small car? Did you solve it if so?

[Rootatoot]

Hi Motherjack

Thanks for that. Yes I did enjoy that thread. Although my little chap is older some of it rings true. He hasn't done it for a couple of weeks or more now and i'm pretty sure it's down to my pregnancy. I think I have been going to bed earlier and if my DH puts dog to bed, then I'm sure that's when he does it. I have a feeling he frets as he hasn't seen me. If I come down too, then he seems ok.

Strangely, I mentioned his clinginess to my SIL and she said her cat was same when she was pregnant. Followed her all the time and wanted cuddles. Perhaps they can smell it!?

And yes it was me with the small car/buggy/dog dilemma. Haven't found solution as yet. Looked at harness again- definately not going to work. I have now ordered the pushchair though, so going to mess about with combinations of things when it comes. Perhaps I'll be able to secure it in boot WITH dog!? If not, I think the pet tube thing is probably the only way to go.

Thanks for thinking of me. :)

[MotherJack]

I have no doubt animals can smell pregnancy. I recall it is often said that cats will go nowhere near their owners when they are pregnant... not mine though - he stuck to me even more! My dog didn't suffer any oddities though - but like us they all have their individual personalities and cope with things differently - and perhaps you are a little bit stressed, too (understandably!).

What is it putting you off from the car harness btw? Did you manage to have a look at those hammocky things I mentioned? ......although I have to say it looks like your pet tubes are good, so long as you get him used to it before he goes in the car perhaps, and associates it with positive things, such as yummy treats. Perhaps if that is your preferred solution, then you (he!) might benefit from using positive association in the house.

As soon as you get your pushchair, try the combinations straight away so you have plenty of time to get DDog used to whatever solution works